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Duralian
Duralians “The truly engaging parts of our world ironically require a dispassionate view. To be caught up in the internal workings of every piece we view of natural processes is not rational. Existence does not prove worth.” ''-Book of Dural, Servant 7:5'' Descendants of those who were the first to be liberated from the Ancients on the old continent, Duralians are the direct subjects of their Kaiser, who is also the Autocrat of the ASH. Worshipers of the great clockwork god, Dural. these industrious people often seem somewhat introverted and calculating to outsiders, which can be off-putting to their more communal brethren. They keep a quiet pride in the knowledge that they are not only servants of the first god, but heirs to the first and last human-ruled state. Their home region, the Kronlands, is the main industrial powerhouse and military mustering ground for the ASH and is sandwiched between their two subsidiary nations. To reinforce their feeling of continuation, they will sometimes refer to the lands of the Autocracy as the Autokratie, taking the term from their old homeland. Universal conscription was implemented after a particularly devastating war nearly destroyed the Autocracy. All Duralians receive rudimentary military training. They operate as expendable infantry, relying on shield walls and defensive tactics. Duralians are of a darker complexion than the other two nations. They are shorter and stockier than Hemosans and Valanites, and their hair color ranges from a nearly black dark brown to steel gray, even among the youth. Duralian eye color can be anywhere from blue to brown, though green is by far the most common. Duralian Culture Originally hailing from the final civilization to fall before the great plague wiped out the old continent, they were able to salvage more technology and talent than the other faiths. Modern Duralians built on that technology, creating a metropolitan and industrialized society where hard work and persistence are prized traits. Often this makes them seem overly analytical and cold to outsiders but underneath this veneer lies a deep sense of community and family. An extremely important aspect of Duralian culture is the maintenance of order. Duralians view their society as a complicated machine. If everything can be correctly run, the result is harmony. Tradition is important but not a goal so much as a stabilizing factor, never to be used for its own sake. The first step in any problem is accepting the reality of a situation then working toward the more desirable outcome, even if it is not the ideal outcome. Unfortunately for many Duralians, this often leaves out any human element to the problem, with workers killed an industrial accidents sometimes of lesser concern than the cost of moving dangerous machinery. Many devout Duralians will rub grey colored grease along their joints as a show of unity with their god-machine. Over time, this permanently colors the painted area. The Kronlands Guided by heavy bureaucracy and omnipresent industry, the Kronlands are under direct control by their Autocrat. Unfailingly autocratic by design, the region serves as a vital administrative center for the ASH. Controlling food distribution to the colonies, parsing out and ‘processing’ Cursed for use, and operating as ombudsmen for the other regions. The largest camp and training center for the Legion is stationed in the center of the region. When the Legion isn’t used or is too occupied externally, vast militias are hastily called to service by militant priests of the church. With consecrated whips, they drive the masses of brown coated conscripts to mindless determination and backed by the latest models of cannon and mass-produced equipment with the most fanatical and ruthless becoming feared black-coated cogs. Tension in the Cities Conscription riots intensify throughout large Duralian cities such as Waidbach and Kreisgrad. The Grafs send mobilization orders, bloating the already large pool of brown jacketed Conscripts to bring the southland to heel. Similar orders responding to the Frontier war with the Commonwealth as well as additional manpower being needed to quarantine several aberrant sites that have appeared throughout the Kronlands strained the patience of its citizens. Instances of Cursed spontaneously reversing Lobotomy and wreaking havoc in cities or factory complexes finally broke the restraint of many city dwellers. The overstretched Interior Legions and loyal conscript militias struggle to maintain order throughout the Kronlands as their might is pulled in a thousand directions.